the door. “Well, Michael you could do that for Katie, couldn’t you?” she asked. “I mean, you are off work this week?”
She could see his shoulders sag before he turned around to face their mum. “Yeah, I’m on holiday. You know, Mum, it actually means you take the week off work to have a rest,” he said sarcastically.
“Now, now,” her mum soothed, and Katie sloped off into the bathroom because she didn’t want to be involved in the discussion that would follow. Looking into the mirror she noticed a smudge of white emulsion smeared down her cheek and lathered a wet face cloth with soap to scrub it off. Smiling, she imagined how her mum would be working on Michael because she’d seen her in action many times before. She’d start with his conscience about helping his sister because she’d been left on her own and he’d eventually agree because at the end of the day he wouldn’t be able to say no to her, and so grinning in triumph she decided to have a rustic brown colour for the floorboards.
On Saturday morning Katie ran through the doors of the bistro and searched the room for Sarah and Lisa. They were sitting at a table in the corner; heads bent studying the menu and both looked up quickly when she called out a greeting.
"Sorry I’m running late," she said breathlessly, "I got caught up with the finishing touches to the new kitchen."
"Oh, does it look good?" Lisa asked smiling affectionately.
Sitting down she draped her denim jacket around the back of the chair. "Fantastic – it’s worth every penny of my hard earned cash."
Sarah looked concerned. "I think you look tired, Katie?" she said and looked at Lisa who nodded her head in agreement.
Lisa said, "I suppose it’s bound to take its toll. I mean, starting a new business on top of buying the flat? Well honey, these are what the shrinks call major life changes."
"Look, its cool," she said reassuringly. "I know I’ve been rushing about for the last two weeks or so but now I’m through the thick of it I can start and chill-out a bit. Really, it’s all going to work out just fine."
“Hmm,” Lisa queried.
She put her hand over Lisa’s hand and squeezed it. "I’m just so grateful we managed to complete on time and it all went through without any hiccups.”
"Well, I hope you do start to chill-out soon because men don’t like tired looking gals,” Lisa said warily.
Katie clicked her tongue in disbelief and slowly shook her head as if to say what utter rubbish. "Can we order now, please,” Katie begged. “I’m starving!"
Shrugging her shoulders in resignation, Lisa smiled across at the young waiter who was hovering near their table. He hurried across to them with his gelled, spiked hair, clean white shirt, and an eager to please grin. Lisa elegantly tossed her hair back over her shoulder and he pulled his pad out of the pocket of the slim hipped jeans he wore and stood poised with pen in hand.
"OK, I’m going to have a seafood pizza and salad," Lisa purred seductively, "And we’ll have a bottle of Chardonnay."
Katie stifled the giggles when Sarah looked at her, raised an eyebrow and mouthed the words, "Oh, puh-lease!"
When the waiter had taken their orders and Lisa had fawned and simpered over him he hurried off to the kitchen.
Sarah complained primly, "Really, Lisa, he’s young enough to be your son!"
"Rubbish!" she retorted crossing her long legs that were clad in black, leggings and tucked into thigh-high boots. "Anyway, even if he is I’m only having a bit of fun." Sarah begrudgingly laughed at her because it was hard to be affronted by anything Lisa said or did and shrugging her shoulders Katie gave her a ‘que sera’ expression.
She looked around the bistro wondering if she looked as tired as the girls said she did, just as the waiter arrived with the wine and opened the bottle to fill their glasses. Katie grinned at him as he managed to tear his eyes away from leering down Lisa’s cleavage which, falsely enhanced by a wonder bra, made the most of her small breasts in a low cut vest. His face flushed with embarrassment when he realised he’d been caught in the act and Katie mused, God, but they start young these days, and once again was appalled at how much like her mother she sounded.
Lisa said, “The guys at work are trying out a new diet which